Apple has released iOS 9.3 to beta testers this week and comes with a number of updates including a few focused on the user’s health and well being.
Apple’s iOS 9.3 features
Firstly, and what many are calling the coolest feature being added to iOS 9.3 is Night Shift. According to to Apple’s website, “Many studies have shown that exposure to bright blue light in the evening can affect your circadian rhythms and make it harder to fall asleep.”
What Apple has done is to use your location along with your iPhone’s or iPad’s clock to gradually change the screen colors on your phone to the warmer in theory making it easier to sleep at night. In the morning users will see there normal service resumed.
For Apple Watch owners, iOS 9.3 will see all health details: moving, standing, exercise, etc. in one location. iOS 9 started the trend towards health maintenance 9.3 is simply building on that.
Apple has made its Notes app more secure by allowing users to add a password or its biometric TouchID in order to access the app. Apple has also made Notes more searchable by adding alphabetical, date created or date modified filters.
CarPlay has been given a “nearby” feature in maps to make finding a restaurant, mechanic, bar(?), gas station even easier within maps. Additionally, has tweaked its music recommendations to closer suggest music that the driver would prefer based on past choice. Which for me would mean all sorts of David Bowie-like music as he’s all that’s been playing for the last 36 hours.
Lastly, for the classroom, Apple has made it easier for students to share iPads is there is a lack of devices. In order to accommodate this sharing students will be given individual logins that return them to where they were when they last logged off their tablet. Additionally, administrators (presumably, teachers) will be able to lock apps to keep students focused as well as being given access to screen views.
To jailbreak or not to jailbreak iOS 9.3
For many, the fear of a new iOS version is the wait for a jailbreaking option or the risk of losing their existing jailbreak if the phone takes it on itself to download a new iOS. That doesn’t seem to be a problem as Twitter user @qwertyoruiop – an Italian developer, has shown Cydia running along with Night Shift which didn’t exist before iOS 9.3.
